Tennis player Taylor Fritz has accused US Open supplier Wilson of misleading players over the quality of their replica balls.
The American player, who was beaten by Francisco Cerundolo in the third round of the US Open at Flushing Meadows, issued a rant on X accusing the firm of distributing different quality balls despite assurances they’re the same as the ones used in the grand slam.
The balls are “sold, marketed, and labelled as the same balls, but the way they come off my racket and feels couldn’t be more different”, Fritz said.
He said that he had tried balls from “multiple cases to rule out a bad batch, and unfortunately, it’s been the same across the board”, and added that “other players I’ve spoken to since the Open have described the same thing.”
Brit Arthur Fery, who reached the semi-finals of Wimbledon earlier this year, replied saying he “agreed 100 per cent” with Fritz, stating that the “soft/dead ball is also used for all challengers and [ATP] 250s in the US.”
He said that the balls he received were different despite being branded as US Open balls.
Wilson and Dunlop, which was also on the end of Fritz’s tirade, were approached for comment.
Fritz tennis ball drama
A stack of US Open balls costs around £10 in the UK.
Men’s and women’s players at the US Open use different balls, with the men playing with heavier versions and women with lighter ones.
“The women’s ball is a much better tennis ball,” former player Greg Rusedski said on his Off Court podcast.
“It’s quicker, it’s faster through the air, it doesn’t fluff up, it keeps its shape. So, let’s just play the men and the women with the same ball.
“That’s a proper, fast, speedy ball, so people can hit through the court, people can serve and volley, come forward, mix it up.
“If I had a choice between the men’s and the women’s ball, I’d take the women’s all day long.”